Tongs



UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcE.

VERNON GRAHAM HIGGINS, OF W'ADDINGTON, CALIFORNIA.

TONGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,084, dated April 26, 1898. Application filed February 20, 1897- Seria11l'o.624,352. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VERNON GRAHAM HIG- GINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vaddington, in the county of Humboldt and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in tongs; and the object of the same is to provide tongs which are especially adapted for blacksmiths use in holdingheated pieces of metal such as, for instance, horseshoes.

The improvement consists in providing tongs the jaws of which are always substantially parallel, so that they firmly grip the sides of the horseshoe or'other heated object.

The invention also consists of certain other novel features of construction hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 1 l of Fig. 1. Fig. h is a side elevation of my invention applied to a different form of tongs.

Referring to said drawings, 1 indicates the adjustable jaw, and2 the stationary jaw, upon which the jaw 1 is adjusted. The movable jaw is provided with a longitudinal slot 3, through which loosely passes the securing rivet a. This securing-rivet passes through the perforation 5 in the stationary jaw and is headed on both ends, so that the two jaws are loosely secured together. Formed at the rear end of the slot 3 in the movable jaw is the transversely-extending lug 6, which is perforated at 7, and adapted to extend through this perforation is the adjusting-screw 8, which is screw-threaded, as is also the perforation. The extremity of the adj ustin g-screw 8 bears against the securing-rivet. It will be understood that when the adj usting-screw is operated the movable jaw is adjusted upon the stationary jaw, so that any desired object is securely held between the same. The adj ustable jaw is split, as illustrated, to form the slot 9, between which small articles, as rivets, are adapted to be retained.

The handle 10 of the adj u'stable jaw is curved downwardly, and where it joins said jaw is bent backwardly parallel with the bandle 11 of the stationary jaw. A ring 12 may be positioned in the extremity of the handle of one of the jaws, as illustrated.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. at it will be seen that I provide the movable jaw with a transverse slot to conform to the construction of the tongs upon which the improvement is used. passes through the end wall of the slot and bears against the rivet, as in the former construction.

It will be seen that by changing the adj ustment of the screw the jaws can be moved in relation to each other, so that the distance between the same varies, and that they are always parallel. The rivet against which the adjusting-screw impinges is made flat, so as to give a firm bearing-surface.

It is understood, of course, that the invention is susceptible of various changes, and therefore I do not Wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein shown, but claim the right to make any and all mechanical changes that come within the following claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A pair of tongs comprising a jaw having a slot extending longitudinally thereof, a screw seated in the rear wall of said slot and entering the slot, a gripping-surface upon the jaw extending at an angle to the portion provided with the slot, a second jaw lying across the slot of the first jaw and having a grippingsurface substantially parallel with the gripping-surface of the first jaw, a pivot-pin upon the second jaw passing through the slot of the first jaw, the before-mentioned screw being adapted to engage said pivot-pin, and

handles extending from both jaws upon op posite sides of and substantially parallel with the screw; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VERNON GRAHAM HIGGINS. \Vitnesses:

L. J. STONE, J AS. SMITH.

An adjusting-screw 13. 

